Opinion: Gina Haspel is as qualified as it gets to lead the CIA

by Boris Epshteyn, Chief Political Analyst

(Sinclair Broadcast Group)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Boris Epshteyn formerly served as a Senior Advisor to the Trump Campaign and served in the White House as Special Assistant to The President and Assistant Communications Director for Surrogate Operations.

WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - Who do you trust more, a 33-year veteran of the CIA who has served our country all over the world or the mastermind of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed?

I choose proud American and current Deputy Director of the CIA Gina Haspel. Haspel is now nominated to be the director of the CIA.

Opponents, mostly Democrats, are concerned about Haspel’s involvement in the CIA’s enhanced interrogation of terrorists.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is offering to weigh in, supposedly to share just how tough Gina Haspel was on him and his terrorist brethren. These are the same people who have been plotting to destroy America and have been decapitating American prisoners such as Nick Berg and James Foley.

Mohammed’s opposition to Haspel should be a huge reason why Gina Haspel is confirmed to lead the CIA.

Keep in mind, enhanced interrogation was not against the law when Gina Haspel was involved in that program. The program was authorized by the Bush administration until President Obama ended it in 2009.

Former CIA Director John Brennan was a senior official at the agency when the program was in place. He was much senior to Gina Haspel, in fact. Only two Democrats voted against Brennan's confirmation to be CIA director in 2013.

Here is the bottom line: Gina Haspel is as qualified as it gets to be CIA director. With all of the challenges facing America, this is no time to play political games with the Central Intelligence Agency. Gina Haspel should be confirmed as quickly as possible.